Imprisonment
by Angel-Cahill-23
Summary: The most powerful family in human history, the Cahills, can and have gotten away with a lot over the years. They have had wars because of their blood, but who would know? The new generation of Cahills, have just passed the Gauntlet, ending the Clue Hunt only to have disaster in their wake from what had happened. But what if they couldn't get rid of hard evidence pointing to them?


*****PLEASE READ*****

**Hello everyone, it's Angel-Cahill-23 here and glad to be back. I thin that my fingers were starting to get stiff from not writing, lol. To the few readers/writers that I talked to about which idea I should do for my next story, well this is the one that the majority picked and I really hope that you like it. **

**Unlike my other story, I haven't written this story in advance. This first part that you are about to read is the only part I have written so far (although I didn't technically come up with it, I give credit to the second to last chapter of Into the Gauntlet), I made sure to start the story off in a good place. I will write more chapters when the ideas come to me and if people are reading. So remember...Review, Favorite, and Follow. I will take all reviews, or if you want to PM me about it (that's fine too), and put it into consideration for the later chapters. Unfortunately, there will not be chapter updates every single day like my last story but I just wanted to warn you guys. **

**This story has been on my mind for a while and I needed to come back. I've been having health issues that are not getting any better but I will try my best to be here and write for you guys. Well, I think that might be it (heehees), so lets get with the disclaimer and then let the story begin...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The 39 Clues, it's characters, or the plotlines...thought I will borrow them for a little while to bring happiness to others ;-) **

Imprisonment (A 39 Clues Fanfiction)

Prologue:

"Amy and Dan – you survived!" Nellie screamed. "My kiddos!"

"And ours!" Uncle Fiske yelled, just a beat behind her. Then he looked sheepishly at Mr. McIntyre. "Well, they are," he said.

"I can't see – are Sinead and Ned there? Are Sinead and Ned there?" Ted hollered. Someone must have told him yes, because then he exploded, "This is even better than finding a new digit in pi!"

"Hammy! Hammy! Hammy!" the Holts cheered in unison.

"Jonah? You're hurt?" Broderick strained against the ropes binding him.

"Fo sho," Jonah said, making a pained effort to grin from his sling. "But wait till you hear the songs I'm going to write from this experience."

Alistair and Sinead insisted that, before anyone else could step into the cemetery, they had to defuse the explosives Isabel had laid.

"Quite right," the helicopter pilot said approvingly. "That's the safest way."

Hamilton stood on the beach, shouting across to his family telling everything that had happened.

Or – almost everything.

"So, Amy and Dan won in the end, but then Amy had to destroy the prize to protect us all," Hamilton said. "And, Dad, I know you're going to be mad that I didn't win everything for Team Holt but…"

He waited, but Eisenhower didn't start screaming the way Hamilton expected. Eisenhower opened his mouth, winced, swallowed hard, then tried again.

"Winning isn't everything," Eisenhower said faintly. "Sometimes, just knowing your family's safe and healthy and alive is even better."

"Did Vince Lombardi say that?" Reagan asked. "Or Shakespeare?"

"No," Eisenhower said. "I did."

* * *

><p>Once everyone was untied, Amy and Nellie hugged like they hadn't seen each other in a million years. Dan didn't want to get involved with that, not when he really wanted to talk to Uncle Fiske and Mr. McIntyre.<p>

_Later, _Dan thought. _After everyone else leaves…_

Frustrated, he wondered toward the Starlings.

Ted was reaching out to touch his sister's face.

"I heard what Hamilton said about the serum being destroyed," Ted was saying. "Don't worry, Sinead. It doesn't matter. Ned and I will be fine anyhow."

"Oh, but – " Sinead began.

"No, listen," Ted said. "While I was tied up here with everyone else, I started thinking about those experimental surgeries they offered Ned and me. I came up with a few new things to suggest to the doctors, so it's not so risky. Reagan Holt even drew the diagrams for me." He pulled a sheaf of papers out of his jacket pocket and held them out to her. "Look."

"But we can – " Dan began, leaning in toward the Starlings.

Sinead looked up from the diagrams and shook her head warningly.

"Ted's way is better," she said. "If the surgeries work, this helps lots of people, not just Ned and Ted. And there won't be the same…side effects and complications. I mean, I saw Isabel Kabra in action , and she only had part of the serum."

"I guess," Dan said. He was suddenly even more aware of the papers he'd tucked into his own pockets. How could paper feel so heavy?

* * *

><p>Jonah almost passed out while the others lifted him into the helicopter. He tried to relax as they settled him into the backseat, but then he stiffened again.<p>

"Dad!" he screamed. "The vandalism charges from the Globe – will somebody try to arrest me when we get to the hospital?"

"Oh no," Broderick said. "I almost forgot - all the accusations were dropped. Miss Pluderbottom recanted."

"Yo! Miss 'I tell nothing but the truth' Pluderbottom _lied_?" Jonah asked astounded. "For me?"

"No," Broderick said. "She didn't lie. She said the truth changed. She went to the authorities and said she'd discovered you were a nice young man who would never intentionally damage anything connected to the Bard."

_The truth changed_, Jonah thought. _And – I changed. I found my true self. _

"MIs Pluderbottom's my homie," Jonah murmured drowsily. They were taking off now, the helicopter rising into the sky. "I think I'll ask her to help me stage a hip-hop version of _Romeo and Juliet. _It can be a crossover hit. Wanna help, too? I can't be a teen sensation forever, you know. Gotta start plotting the next steps, the next phase…"

"Whatever you want," Broderick said.

They flew higher, into clouds. Jonah's mind was getting cloudy, too. Maybe he started dreaming again. Or maybe he really did hear his father say, over the thumping of the helicopter blades, "And we'll tell your mother whatever you want about the serum, too."

* * *

><p>Sinead took off in her aircraft with Alistair and a still-unconscious Isabel. This left the Starling boys to go to the hospital with Ian and Natalie in Jonah's yacht.<p>

"You know how to steer a yacht?" Mr. McIntyre asked Ian worriedly.

"I was born knowing how to steer a yacht," Ian said. Then a stricken look came over his face. "But – do you suppose Jonah prepaid the full amount for renting this? Once my dad hears what Natalie and I did, he'll cancel our credit cards."

"You mean we're…we're poor now?" Natalie gasped.

"Penniless," Ian said grimly.

"Actually," Mr. McIntyre said, "I should have mentioned this before the others left. Grace had an addendum to her will regarding everyone who made it through the gauntlet. There were eight of you – you will all receive double the amount you turned down to get the first clue."

"It was a million dollars originally," Ian said. "So Natalie and I each get two million dollars? I suppose we could live on that."

Natalie beamed.

"That is such a relief!" she said. "Being poor wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be, but still – "

"You were only poor for about two seconds!" Dan protested, rolling his eyes.

"Dan – the two million dollars apiece – that would be for us, too," Amy said dazedly.

_Oh, yeah_, Dan thought._ Two million apiece. Four million total…_

He couldn't take it in. Not while he had papers rustling in his pocket that contained a priceless secret.

Ian, Natalie, Ned, and Ted left. The Holts screamed when they heard Hamilton had won two million dollars. Then they began shrieking that that meant they could go to some world-famous soccer game that was going to be played in Ireland in just an hour. They left, too, though Hamilton kept hanging out the window of their boat holding his hand to his ear, fingers outstretched, signaling, _Call me. Let me know what happens. _

"I've still got your back!" was the last thing he shouted out to them.

And then only Madrigals were left on the island.

Dan marched right up to Uncle Fiske and Mr. McIntyre.

"Now what?" he asked. "What did Grace want us to get the serum _for_?"

* * *

><p>Amy and Dan had read the letters that Grace had left for when they found the serum formula, knowing that it was one of the most terrible burdens to bear. But, with four million dollars and a new permanent addition to the family, with Nellie Gomez and their Uncle Fiske becoming their now legal guardians, and the Mansion to rebuild, they have a lot to figure out. However, somehow, Amy knew that everything was going to be alright…they're going home.<p>

**Well, I guess we are finished with the first part...what did you guys think about it? Please...Review, Favorite, Follow. **


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